There is a lot of hiring activity in the oil and gas industry the past few weeks, and employment in general in other fields is expected to pick up during the fall months, according Workforce Solutions of West Central Texas.

“We’re seeing additional job postings taking place not just in Abilene but a lot of activity in the Sweetwater and Snyder areas,” Robert Puls, Workforce Solutions’ business development consultant, said Friday. “A lot of that is oil, but there are some other things that are taking place like fast food and retail.”

A little more than 80,000 people in the Abilene Metropolitan Statistical Area — made up of Taylor, Jones and Callahan counties — had jobs in March, and the area had a 4.9 percent unemployment rate, down from 5.1 in February. It was 5.5 percent in March 2012, according to statistics released by the Texas Workforce Commission on Friday.

Abilene had a 5 percent jobless rate in March, down slightly from 5.1 in February. The current rate is below the state unemployment rate, 6.4 percent, and well below the national average for March, 7.6 percent.

Taylor County’s March jobless rate also went down, to 4.8 percent from 5 percent in February.

“In the past, we saw unemployment go up just a little bit June, July, August and a lot of that are school related,” Puls said. “Then starting September to the end of the year, hiring usually start to go up.”

The Midland MSA had the lowest number of unemployed in March in the state at 3.1 percent. The Odessa MSA came in second at 3.7.

Statewide, Texas employment fell by 4,100 jobs in March following the addition of nearly 80,000 jobs in February.

Still, March is the 75th consecutive month that Texas unemployment rate has been below the national rate.

Employers in the state added 14,900 jobs across five major industries last month but those gains were offset by the loss of 19,000 jobs in six other industries, the TWC said.

The state’s annual growth, however, continue to be positive, with 329,500 jobs added since last year.

Employment in leisure and hospitality grew by 67,000, more than any other industry in Texas. It also led the way in monthly growth, 5,500 jobs added in March.

Construction grew by 1,900 jobs in March, marking the 8th straight months of growth for the industry, the TWC reported.

Employment in professional and business services increased by 2,100 — it has maintained a yearly growth rate of more than 4.0 percent for 30 of the last 31 months.